Fancy Cheese and Clam Juice

I don't really watch too much TV. When I do, it's usually Food Network. That's where a lot of my recipes come from. I like to see if I can take the things they make and turn them into something I can actually make (and Jeremy will eat). Most of the time I end up with garbage, but sometimes I come up with a recipe that we actually enjoy.

The next recipe I am adding to the cookbook is one of our favorites. I was very intimidated when I watched Giada De Laurentiis make this, but it looked so good I just had to try it. It probably took me an hour to find clam juice at the grocery store, and fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano can be a little pricey but it makes a big difference in the taste of the sauce. The dish is actually really simple to make and so delicious! Hope you enjoy!

Shrimp Pasta

Another product of me watching Food Network and trying out the recipes I see. This recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis, and she calls it “Penne with Shrimp and Herbed Cream Sauce”. That name is just entirely too fancy for me, and since I don’t make a whole lot of pasta dishes, I just call it Shrimp Pasta. Looking at the ingredients, it looks a little intimidating to make (I mean, really, who cooks with clam juice?), but the ingredients are available at most grocery stores and the dish is so simple to make. Trust me, the hunt for clam juice and fancy cheese is so worth it!

1 pound penne pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, and deveined

2-4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus extra for seasoning

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup white wine (or chicken or shrimp broth)

1/3 cup clam juice

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (if you get the fancy cheese in the deli department, it tastes a lot better. If you just get Kraft Parmesan make sure you get the grated kind, not the stuff you put on your pizza.)

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

• Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. (about 8 minutes.) Drain the pasta and set aside. (I usually start the pasta then start my sauce, that way they get done about the same time and you aren’t adding cold pasta to the sauce.)

• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

• Add the shrimp, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. (if you are using the dried basil and parsley, you want to add it now too.)

• Cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp turn pink and is cooked through, about 3 minutes. (you absolutely DO NOT want to overcook the shrimp. When the just start to turn pink is when you should take it out. It will cook more when you put them back in the sauce.)

• Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and set aside.

• Add the tomatoes, ¼ cup basil, 1/4 cup parsley, and the red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. (I usually add a little flour to the remaining oil before I add these ingredients and make a bit of a roux. The sauce is a bit runny without it.)

• Add the wine (or broth), clam juice, and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil.

• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes until the sauce thickens.

• Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the cooked shrimp, the cooked pasta, and the remaining herbs. Toss together until all ingredients are coated. (another neat little trick is grating the parmesan directly onto the pasta before adding the sauce. this way the cheese sticks to the pasta and the sauce sticks to the cheese.)

• Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

• Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.